Air compressor having improved valve device

ABSTRACT

An air compressor includes a cylinder housing having an outlet tube, a piston slidably received in the cylinder housing and having a piston rod and an air passage, and a motor coupled to the piston for moving the piston relative to the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action, in order to generate pressurized air. A valve device includes one side secured to the piston, and a limiting device may be used for limiting the other side of the valve device to move relative to the piston and to prevent the other side of the valve device from being over bent relative to the one side of the valve device or relative to the piston. The limiting device includes an ear located above the valve device for engaging with and for limiting the other side of the valve device to bend or to move relative to the piston.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air compressor, and more particularly to an air compressor having an improved valve device for effectively controlling air to flow through the valve device or to flow into and out of the cylinder housing.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical air compressors comprise a cylinder housing attached or secured to a base and having a piston slidably disposed therein, and a motor secured to the base and coupled to the piston of the cylinder housing for actuating or driving the piston of the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action.

The applicant has developed various kinds of typical air compressors, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,110 to Chou, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,163 to Chou each of which also comprises a piston slidably disposed within a cylinder housing, and a spring blade having one end secured to the piston and having the other end for selectively blocking an air aperture of the piston, in order to control the air to flow through the piston.

Normally, the spring blade is made of resilient metal or steel materials and may be forced to be bent relative to the piston in order to open the air aperture of the piston and to allow the air to flow through the piston at one time when the air aperture of the piston is partially opened by the spring blade.

However, while in use, the spring blade should be bent or deformed relative to the one end of the spring blade frequently and thus may become fatigue and may become fail after use, and thus may not suitably block the air aperture of the piston when the spring blade has been bent or deformed.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional air compressors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an air compressor including an improved valve device for effectively controlling the air to flow through the valve device or to flow into and out of the cylinder housing.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an air compressor comprising a cylinder housing including a chamber formed therein, and including an outlet tube having a compartment formed therein and communicating with the chamber of the cylinder housing for receiving pressurized air from the chamber of the cylinder housing, a piston slidably received in the chamber of the cylinder housing and having a piston rod extended therefrom, and having an air passage formed therein, and having a first side and a second side, a moving device for moving the piston relative to the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action, in order to generate pressurized air, a valve device including a first side secured to the first side of the piston and including a second side opposite to the first side thereof, and a limiting device for limiting the second side of the valve device to move relative to the piston and to prevent the second side of the valve device from being over bent relative to the first side of the valve device.

The valve device includes at least one fastener securing the first side of the valve device to the first side of the piston. The valve device includes a notch formed in the first side thereof, for increasing a resilience of the valve device.

The piston includes a bar extended upwardly therefrom for engaging with the valve device and for positioning and for anchoring the valve device, and includes a projection extended from the bar for engaging with the notch of the valve device.

The limiting device includes an ear extended therefrom and located above the second side of the valve device for engaging with the second side of the valve device and for limiting the second side of the valve device to bend or move relative to the piston.

The piston includes an upper portion having an opening form in the second side thereof, and the limiting device is extended through the opening of the valve device and has the ear extended from the limiting device.

The valve device includes an inner peripheral slot formed therein to form a first blade member and a second blade member and to have the inner peripheral slot located between the first blade member and the second blade member.

The valve device includes at least one coupling member provided in the second side thereof and coupled between the first blade member and the second blade member, for resiliently coupling the first blade member and the second blade member together and for facilitating the bending movement of the first blade member relative to the second blade member.

A supporting base may further be provided and includes a plate to support the cylinder housing, the cylinder housing includes a valve seat provided in the outlet tube and located between the outlet tube and the cylinder housing, and a spring-biased check valve disposed in the outlet tube and engaged with the valve seat of the cylinder housing, to limit the pressurized air to flow from the chamber of the cylinder housing into the compartment of the outlet tube only, and to prevent the pressurized air from flowing backwardly from the compartment of the outlet tube into the chamber of the cylinder housing.

The moving device includes a motor attached to the plate and having a spindle extended through the plate, and an eccentric member coupled to the spindle of the motor and having a pin extended therefrom and coupled to the piston rod, to move the piston relative to the cylinder housing with the motor and the eccentric member. The plate includes a gear rotatably attached thereto and having a space formed therein and defined by a peripheral casing, to receive and secure the eccentric member therein.

The cylinder housing includes a first duct, a second duct, and at least one third duct extended outwardly from the outlet tube and communicating with the compartment of the outlet tube, for receiving the pressurized air from the compartment of the outlet tube, a pressure gauge may be attached to the first duct, a nozzle may be coupled to the second duct, and a relief valve may be attached to the third duct.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of an air compressor in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of the air compressor, taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1, in which the piston has been assembled into the air compressor;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view illustrating the piston and the valve member of the air compressor;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the other arrangement of the piston and the valve member of the air compressor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an air compressor in accordance with the present invention comprises a supporting base 10 including a plate 11 and a cylinder housing 12 provided on or extended from the plate 11 and preferably formed integral with the plate 11. The cylinder housing 12 includes a chamber 13 formed therein (FIG. 2) for slidably receiving a piston 30 therein, and includes one or more fins 14 extended laterally or radially outwardly therefrom (FIG. 1), for such as heat dissipating purposes. The piston 30 includes an extension or piston rod 31 extended therefrom and is slidable in reciprocating action in the chamber 13 of the cylinder housing 12 for generating pressurized air.

The cylinder housing 12 includes an outlet tube 15 extended upwardly or outwardly from the top thereof, and having a compartment 16 formed therein and communicating with the chamber 13 of the cylinder housing 12, for receiving the pressurized air from the chamber 13 of the cylinder housing 12. A spring-biased check valve 17 (FIGS. 2, 3) may be disposed in the outlet tube 15, and engaged with a valve seat 18 that is formed or provided between the outlet tube 15 and the cylinder housing 12. A relief valve or safety valve (not shown) or the like may further be provided and attached to the outlet tube 15, for relieving the pressurized air when the air pressure within the cylinder housing 12 and the outlet tube 15.

The spring-biased check valve 17 may thus be used to limit the pressurized air to flow from the chamber 13 of the cylinder housing 12 into the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15 only, and to prevent the pressurized air from flowing backwardly from the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15 into the chamber 13 of the cylinder housing 12. A cap 19 may be attached to the outer or free end of the outlet tube 15 with such as threading engagements, for blocking or enclosing the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15, and for stably retaining the spring-biased check valve 17 within the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15.

The cylinder housing 12 further includes one or more ducts 20, 21, 22, 23 extended outwardly from the outlet tube 15, and communicating with the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15, for receiving the pressurized air from the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15. The ducts 20, 21, 22, 23 may be coupled to various kinds of facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto. For example, a relief valve 24 may be provided and attached to one of the ducts 20 for relieving the pressurized air when the air pressure within the cylinder housing 12 and/or the outlet tube 15 is over a predetermined pressure, and thus for preventing the cylinder housing 12 and/or the outlet tube 15 from being over-pressurized and damaged.

A pressure gauge 25 may be provided and attached to the other duct 21 for detecting and showing the air pressure within the cylinder housing 12 and/or the outlet tube 15. A nozzle 26 may be provided and attached to another duct 22, for allowing the pressurized air to be supplied from the chamber 13 of the cylinder housing 12 and the compartment 16 of the outlet tube 15 to various facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto, with the nozzle 26.

It is to be noted that the provision or the extension of the ducts 20, 21, 22, 23 from the outlet tube 15 allows the relief valve 24 and the pressure gauge 25 and the nozzle 26 to be easily and readily attached to or coupled to the outlet tube 15 with the ducts 20, 21, 22, 23, without additional or specialized coupling members or tools. One or more lids (not shown) may further be provided and attached or secured to either of the ducts 20, 21, 22, 23 with such as threading engagements, for selectively enclosing or blocking the ducts 20, 21, 22, 23, when the ducts 20, 21, 22, 23 are not required to be used.

A gear 40 is rotatably attached to the lower portion of the plate 11 with one or more bearings (not shown) and a shaft 41, and includes a space 43 formed therein and defined by a peripheral casing 44 for receiving and securing an eccentric member 45 therein (FIGS. 1, 2). The eccentric member 45 may be secured to the gear 40 with such as fasteners (not shown) and may thus be rotated in concert with the gear 40, and includes a crank or an eccentric pin 47 extended therefrom and coupled to the piston rod 31 of the piston 30, in order to actuate or to move the piston 30 relative to the cylinder housing 12 in reciprocating actions.

A motor 50 may be attached or secured to the upper portion 15 of the plate 11 with such as fasteners (not shown), and includes a spindle 52 extended through the plate 11 (FIG. 2), and includes a pinion 53 secured to the spindle 52 thereof, and engaged with the gear 40, for allowing the gear 40 to be rotated or driven by the motor 50 via the pinion 53, and thus for allowing the piston 30 to be actuated or moved relative to the cylinder housing 12 in reciprocating actions by the eccentric member 45 and the eccentric pin 47. A fan device 54 may further be provided and coupled to the motor 50 for being rotated or driven by the motor 50 to generate circulating or ventilating air.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the piston 30 may be actuated or moved relative to the cylinder housing 12 in reciprocating actions by the motor 50 via pinion 53, the gear 40, the eccentric member 45 and the eccentric pin 47, in order to generate a pressurized air, and to allow the pressurized air to flow into the outlet tube 15, and then to flow out through either or all of the ducts 20, 21, 22, 23, and thus to allow the air pressure within the cylinder housing 12 and/or the outlet tube 15 to be detected and shown by the pressure gauge 25, and to allow the pressurized air to be supplied into the facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto, with the nozzle 26, and/or to allow the pressurized air to be relieved via the relief valve 24 when the cylinder housing 12 and/or the outlet tube 15 is over-pressurized.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the piston 30 preferably includes a sealing ring 32 attached to the outer peripheral portion thereof and slidably engaged with the cylinder housing 12, for making an air tight seal between the piston 30 and the cylinder housing 12; and includes an air passage 33 formed therein. A spring blade or valve device 60 includes one or first side 61 attached or secured to one or first side 34 of the piston 30, and includes a suitable resilience for biasing and blocking the air passage 33 of the piston 30 and for controlling the air to flow through the air passage 33 of the piston 30. The above described structure is typical and will not be described in further details.

The one or first side 61 of the valve device 60 may be secured to the one or first side 34 of the piston 30 with one or more fasteners 62, and the valve device 60 further includes a notch 63 formed in the one or the first side 61 thereof (FIG. 3), for increasing the bending characteristic or the resilience of the valve device 60, and includes an opening 64 form in the second side 65 of the valve device 60 and located opposite to or distal to the notch 63 of the valve device 60. The valve device 60 is made of resilient metal or steel materials and may be forced to be bent relative to the piston 30 in order to block and to selectively open the air passage 33 of the piston 30 and to allow the air to flow through the piston 30 at one time when the air passage 33 of the piston 30 is partially opened by the spring blade or valve device 60.

The piston 30 includes a bar 35 extended upwardly from the first side 34 of the piston 30 for engaging with and for positioning and/or anchoring the valve device 60, and includes a projection 36 extended from the bar 35 (FIGS. 3, 6) for engaging into the notch 63 of the valve device 60 and for further positioning or anchoring the valve device 60 to the piston 30. The piston 30 further includes a limiting means or device 37 extended upwardly from the second side 38 of the piston 30 and located opposite to the bar 35, and preferably arranged to have the air passage 33 of the piston 30 formed and located between the bar 35 and the limiting means or device 37. The limiting device 37 is extended through the opening 64 of the valve device 60 (FIG. 5).

The limiting device 37 includes an extension or ear 39 extended therefrom and extended or faced away from the bar 35, and preferably parallel to the upper surface of the piston 30, and extended and located above the second side 65 of the valve device 60 for engaging with the second side 65 of the valve device 60, and thus for limiting the second side 65 of the valve device 60 to bend or to move relative to the piston 30, and for preventing the second side 65 of the valve device 60 from being over bent or deformed relative to the first side 61 of the valve device 60.

Alternatively, the limiting device 37 may be extended and located outside the valve device 60 without engaging through the opening 64 of the valve device 60, and the extension or ear 39 may also be extended inwardly of the valve device 60 and located above the second side 65 of the valve device 60 for engaging with the second side 65 of the valve device 60 and for limiting the second side 65 of the valve device 60 to bend or to move relative to the piston 30, and thus for preventing the second side 65 of the valve device 60 from being over bent or deformed relative to the first side 61 of the valve device 60.

The valve device 60 further includes an inner peripheral slot 66 formed therein, for forming an outer peripheral blade member or first blade member 67 and an inner spring blade or second blade member 68 therein, and for allowing the inner peripheral slot 66 thereof to be located between the first blade member 67 and the second blade member 68. The inner or second blade member 68 includes an area greater than that of the air passage 33 of the piston 30 for biasing and blocking the air passage 33 of the piston 30 and for controlling the air to flow through the air passage 33 of the piston 30.

The valve device 60 further includes one or more, such as two coupling members 69 formed or provided in the other or the second side 65 thereof, and coupled between the first blade member 67 and the second blade member 68, for coupling the first blade member 67 and the second blade member 68 together, and for increasing the resilience or moving stroke of the second blade member 68. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the valve device 60 may include no inner peripheral slot formed therein and no outer peripheral blade member or first blade member and no inner spring blade or second blade member formed therein, and the valve device 60 may also be used to block and to selectively open the air passage 33 of the piston 30.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the other or the second side 65 of the first blade member 67 or of the valve device 60 may be moved or sprung away from the upper surface of the piston 30, and the second blade member 68 of the valve device 60 may further be moved or sprung away from the first blade member 67 or of the valve device 60, for allowing the second blade member 68 of the valve device 60 to have a better movability or resilience to be moved or sprung away from the upper surface of the piston 30, in order to suitably and selectively engage with the piston 30, and so as to openably and selectively block the air passage 33 of the piston 30, and so as to effectively control the air to flow through the air passage 33 of the piston 30.

Accordingly, the air compressor in accordance with the present invention includes an improved valve device for effectively controlling the air to flow through the valve device or to flow into and out of the cylinder housing.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. An air compressor comprising: a cylinder housing including a chamber formed therein, and including an outlet tube having a compartment formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said cylinder housing for receiving pressurized air from said chamber of said cylinder housing, a piston slidably received in said chamber of said cylinder housing and having a piston rod extended therefrom, and having an air passage formed therein, and having a first side and a second side, means for moving said piston relative to said cylinder housing in a reciprocating action, in order to generate pressurized air, a valve device including a first side secured to said first side of said piston and including a second side opposite to said first side thereof, and means for limiting said second side of said valve device to move relative to said piston and to prevent said second side of said valve device from being over bent relative to said first side of said valve device.
 2. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve device includes at least one fastener securing said first side of said valve device to said first side of said piston.
 3. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve device includes a notch formed in said first side thereof, for increasing a resilience of said valve device.
 4. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said limiting means includes an ear extended therefrom and located above said second side of said valve device for engaging with said second side of said valve device and for limiting said second side of said valve device to bend or move relative to said piston.
 5. The air compressor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said valve device includes an opening form in said second side thereof, and said limiting means includes a limiting device extended from said piston and extended through said opening of said valve device, and having said ear extended from said limiting device.
 6. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve device includes an inner peripheral slot formed therein to form a first blade member and a second blade member and to have said inner peripheral slot located between said first blade member and said second blade member.
 7. The air compressor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said valve device includes at least one coupling member provided in said second side thereof and coupled between said first blade member and said second blade member, for coupling said first blade member and said second blade member together.
 8. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piston includes a bar extended upwardly therefrom for engaging with said valve device and for positioning and for anchoring said valve device.
 9. The air compressor as claimed in claim 8, wherein said valve device includes a notch formed in said first side thereof, and said piston includes a projection extended from said bar for engaging with said notch of said valve device.
 10. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a supporting base including a plate to support said cylinder housing, said cylinder housing including a valve seat provided in said outlet tube and located between said outlet tube and said cylinder housing, and a spring-biased check valve disposed in said outlet tube and engaged with said valve seat, to limit the pressurized air to flow from said chamber of said cylinder housing into said compartment of said outlet tube only, and to prevent the pressurized air from flowing backwardly from said compartment of said outlet tube into said chamber of said cylinder housing.
 11. The air compressor as claimed in claim 10, wherein said moving means includes a motor attached to said plate and having a spindle extended through said plate, and an eccentric member coupled to said spindle and having a pin coupled to said piston rod, to move said piston relative to said cylinder housing.
 12. The air compressor as claimed in claim 11, wherein said plate includes a gear rotatably attached thereto and having a space formed by a peripheral casing to receive said eccentric member.
 13. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cylinder housing includes a first duct, a second duct, and at least one third duct extended outwardly from said outlet tube and communicating with said compartment of said outlet tube, for receiving the pressurized air from said outlet tube, a pressure gauge attached to said first duct, a nozzle coupled to said second duct, and a relief valve attached to said at least one third duct. 